Maybe Once A Year, Maybe
by mandaree1
Summary: Chihiro put her experience to use and made her living running a bath house. Yubaba visits. The two manage to get along with no problems, much to their surprise.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away.**

**Title: Maybe Once A year, Maybe.**

**Summary: Chihiro put her experience to use and made her living running a bath house. Yubaba visits. The two manage to get along with no problems, much to their surprise.**

**Warnings: None, rather fluffy, etc.**

**...**

The bath house was in one of the smaller villages scattered across the countryside, and was rather small compared to the average bath house, but it welcomed any and all visitors, human and nonhuman alike, so it was rather popular, especially given its location.

Yubaba couldn't help but smirk at the small irony as she made her way down the unfamiliar street. Humans, for the most part, couldn't see her, and this time was no different. She had no interest in terrorizing the nearby population, nor did she hold any particular want to be the star or any horror story told by middle school girls in the middle of the night in small groups in an attempt to scare each other out of their wits.

She paused at the door. Technically the house was closed by now, but spirits were allowed to come and go as they pleased as long as no damage was wrought upon the place of business. She'd heard stories of spirits slipping into the waters in the middle of the night, leaving money on the counter and a note asking for privacy, and leaving without any trace of human interaction, the gifts and money disappearing before they'd left. But she had no interest in slipping in and out.

The doors slid open on their own. Yubaba stepped inside. A bob of long hair fell over the young woman's face as she bowed. "Welcome to my bathhouse!"

Her smirk widened. She hadn't noticed yet. "Sen."

She'd certainly noticed _now_. She froze, unfroze, and slowly righted herself. She cocked her head to the side. "Granny?"

She cringed (how old was she now? And she was still calling her and her stupid sister _Granny_?) but nodded. "I overheard that this place was open for anyone to come, and I just couldn't help myself. It was about time I scoped out my competition."

"Ah." Chihiro smiled, waving an arm around the room as she led the witch inside. "This is it. It's not much, but it's all I'd hoped for and more."

Her nose wrinkled. "It is rather... plain, isn't it?"

The main room was completely bare of any wall decorations, instead focusing ones attention wholly on the small set of chairs in the waiting area and the small check-in counter. The counter was the exact same color wood as the floor, making it look as though it rose from the floor naturally, housing an older model computer and a few drawers. Simple. Plain. Lacking any real flair.

She shrugged, slipping behind the desk to pull out an old book, flipping it open to a page mostly filled with the woman's messy scrawl, tugging a pen free from the nearby stack of papers. "Yeah, but I like it that way. Are you staying the night?"

"You couldn't _force_ me to stay in a place like this. I'm just here for a quick soak." She half-expected the woman to defend herself against the remark, but she merely nodded and stored the book away.

"I see. This way to the bath, Granny." She gestured to the doorway, leading the larger woman down the hallway confidently. Yubaba glanced back at the untouched computer.

"A book?"

She shrugged. "It makes things easier. I check people in using the computer, but spirits... I can burn books after they're full. I can't completely delete things from a hard drive."

"Hmm..."

The outdoor baths were rather spacious and comfortable. The water was crystal clear, showcasing the smooth river rocks and pavement housed beneath it. Steam rose into the sky on its own accord, bathed in the comforting glow of the lanterns hanging from the house's ceiling and door nearby. Yubaba slipped into the warm water with a contented sigh as Chihiro went back to work, pushing a mop down the hall.

"Evening chores, Sen?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "I was just about to close, actually."

"I see." The witch leaned back against the rock. "When you're done with that, come soak with me."

She paused a second to stare out into the night, a hand cradling the top of the wood handle, before slowly nodding her head and setting the mop aside to slip into the changing room.

"I must admit, while this place pales in comparison to my bath house, I can understand the hype." The older woman grunted as she slipped into the waters across from her. "You're the talk of the town, per say."

She shrugged and leaned back against the edge of the water. "Granny... why are you here?"

"I already told you, I came to check out the competition." Chihiro raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Fine. You caught me." She lifted her hands out of the water, draping one over the other before slowly lifting them away. The plump- but still smaller than he used to be- mouse and the crow stretched and blinked.

The crow buzzed, grabbing the mouse by the scruff of its neck as it flew across the small space into the younger girls waiting hands. "Oh. Was he cursed again?" She directed her gaze to the small mouse curling up into her neck.

"Cursed?" Well, when she thought about it, the woman hadn't seen either of them since her days as a prepubescent brat. It was only natural she wouldn't know. "Not quite. They found these forms more enjoyable, and who was I to deny my baby what he wanted? I may not understand why he'd want to live his life as a rat, but there was nothing I could do to change his mind." She sighed melodramatically. "They run around the bath house all night, helping the soot sprites perform menial tasks. When they heard that your bath house was open for spirits, they wouldn't leave me be until I came by to visit."

She chuckled breathlessly, swiping at her face with a wet arm before reaching over to scratch at the mouses neck with a smile. "Thank you, Granny. This means a lot."

A small pool of water and a trickle-like stream became the mouse and crows playground. They took turns, slipping down the small slide and into the pool or lounging by the side, content to soak in the warm water and take their minds off things.

"Hmm..." She closed her eyes, concentrating on the feeling of the warm water flowing across her shoulders. "The water here is surprisingly clean."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Water spirits come by every once in awhile to purify the water as payment for my services." She shrugged lightly, careful of the small bird resting on her shoulder, taking a break from sliding. "It's why people like it here so much."

"I doubt that. People come to bath houses for more than just clean water." She paused and sniffed. "From what I hear, river spirits tend to come here rather often as well."

She flinched, but her smile didn't falter. "Kohaku isn't your apprentice anymore, Granny. You can't control where he goes and what he does."

Yubaba sniffed. "I know that. Still, a waste of a good apprentice."

"He seems happy." Chihiro interjected with a shrug.

The older woman leaned further back, opening her eyes to watch the steam rise. "Business seems to booming, from what I hear."

"It's pretty busy, yes. Not as busy as your bath house, but still..."

The night wore on. Stars twinkled overhead, only somewhat muffled by the steam and fumes. Chatter was unnecessary and far more awkward than silence, as they didn't have many topics they both were interested in, and instead they contently watched the steam rise until the heat started to become unbearable and they climbed out.

"Granny?" The girl paused to finish retying the buttons of her work cloths. She turned and smoothed the fabric down. "I'm... surprised, honestly. I never thought we could get along, even for a little while."

"Sen..." She considered her words before replying. "Very few people out there have ever managed to beat me at my own game. For that, and owning a successful business such as this, you have my begrudging respect. I don't like you, I didn't like you when you were a child and I don't like you now, but I do hold enough respect towards you to not attack you in your own place of business. The stains would be hard to get out of the wood, and that would be bad for business." She shrugged. "Besides, if I attacked you here and now, Boh would never forgive me." The mouse jerked its head up and down in agreement, the small crow mimicking the movement. She left a few jewels on the counter as payment.

"I see. Well... thank you for coming." She bowed as the women reached for the door. "Come back soon!"

She jerked, mouth dipping further down in mild disgust. "Not anytime soon, if I can help it. Perhaps... sometime next year? I think I could handle lowering myself to this level once a year. Maybe."

Chihiro smiled. "Next year it is, Granny."

The mouse and crow duo begrudgingly removed themselves from her shoulder as Yubaba made her way out the door. She didn't stop moving as she heard it slowly shut behind her. She sighed as she made her way down the unfamiliar street, glancing down to her shoulder at the small mouse perched happily by her array of necklaces. "The things I put up with to make you happy."

Boh squeaked in reply, as though he detected the lie in her words, and curled up for a nap. Once a year indeed, the witch mused as she flew above the village, watching the steam floating above the rooftops disappear from sight as she flew further away. Once a year indeed.

**No flames! Don't like don't read! No flames!**


End file.
